Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-09-17
THE REV. DR.. TALMAGE
THE BROOKLYN DIvINEs SUNDAY
SERMON.
SERMON.

TExr: "Then said they unto him, soy
roo Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth; for
Then they took him and slev him at the pas
sdJeS of Jordan. Judges xii, 8.
DO you notice the difference Of pronuncia-
ton between shibboleth and sibbolethh A
very small and unimportant difference, you
say And yet that difference was the differ
,nce between life and death for a great many
people. The Lords people, Gilead and
Gphram, got into a great fight, and Ephraim
was worsted, and on the retreat came
to the fords of the river Jordan to
cross. Order was given that all Euphrainl-
ties coming there should be slain. But how
could it be found out who were
Erhraimitess They were detected by their
stood for river. The Ephraimites had a
brogue of their own, and when they tried to
say shibboleth always left out the sound Of
the "h" When it was asked that they say
flbboeth they said sibboleth, and were slain.
'Then said they unto him, Say now Shibbo-
leth and he said Sibboleth, for he could not
frame to pronounce it right. Then they took
him and slew him at the passage of Jordan
very small difference, you say, between
G:iead and Ephraim, and yet how much in
tolerance about that small difference The
lords tribe in our timely which | mean
the different denominations of Christians
sometimes magnify very small difference,
and the only difference between scores of de-
nominations to-day is the difference between
s,iibbOleth and sibboleth.
The church Of God is divided into great
number of denominations. Time would fail
me 20 tell of the Calvinsts, and the Armin-
JAMS, and the Sabbatarians, and the Baxter
ians, and the Dunkers, and the Shakers and
the Quakers, and the Methodists, and the
Baptists, and the Episcopalians. and the
I.utherans, and the Congregationalists, and
the Presbyterians and the Spiritualsts, and
nf nfh ar af of
some of them founded by very good men,
some of them founded by very egotistic men,
and some of them founded by very bad men.
But as demand for myself liberty of con-
srieuce, | must give that same liberty to
every other man, remembering that he no
more differs from me than differ from him.
advocate the largest liberty in all religious
belief and form of worship. In art, in
politics, in morals and in religion let there
be no gag law, no moving of the previous
question, no persecution, no intolerance.
You know that the air and the water keep
pure by constant circulation, and l think
there is n tendency in religious discussion to
publication and moral health Between the
Fourth and the Sixteenth centuries the church
proposed to make people think Alright by pro-
hibiting discussion and by strong censorship
Of the press and by rack and gibbet and
hot lead down the throat, tried to make peo-
pie orthodox; but it was discovered that you
cannot change r mans belief by twisting
OF bis head, and that you cannot make a man
see things differently by putting an awl
through his eyes. There is something in a
mans conscience which will hurl off the
mountain that you throw upon it, and, un-
singed of the fire, out of the flame will make
red wings on which the martyr will mount to
glory.
In that time of which speak, between the
Fourth and Sixteenth centuries, people went
from the house of God into the most appal-
ling iniquity, and right along by consecrated
ntars there were tides of drunkenness and
RIGHTEOUSNESS such rs the world never heard
of. and the very sewers of perdition broke
loose and flooded the church. After while
the printing press was freed, and it broke the
shackleS of the human mind. Then there
came large number of bad books, but where
there was one man hostile to the Christian
religion there were twenty men ready to adj
vocate it; 50 have not any nervousness in
regard TO this battle going on between truth
and error.
The truth will conquer just as certainly as
that God is stronger than the devil. Let
error run if you only let truth run along
with it. Urged on by skeptic's shout and
Observation-Disclosures spur, let it run. Gods
angels of wrath are in hot pursuit, and
quicker than eagles beak catches out n
hawks heart Gods vengeance will tear it to
pieces.
Ipropose this morning to speak to you of sec
taIlanism-its origin, its evils and its curses
There are those who would make us think
that this monster, with horns and hoofs,
is religion. / shall chase it to its hiding
place. and drag it out of the caverns Of
darkness and rip off his hide. But want to
make a distinction between bigotry and the
lawful fondncsS for peculiar religious beliefs
and forms Of worship. have no admiration
for a Nottingham.
In world of such tremendous vicissitude
and temptation, and with soul that must
after while stand before throne Of insult
ferabe brightness, in a day when the rock
ing of the mountains and the flaming of the
heavens and the upheaval Of the sea shall be
among the least of the exctements, to give
account for every thought, word, action,
preference and dislike-that man is mad who
has no religious preference. But our early
education, our physical temperament our
mental constitution will very much decide
our form Of worship
\ style of psalmody that may please me
may displease you. Some would like to have
minister in gown, and bands, and surplice,
and others prefer to have a minister in plain
citizens apparel. Some are most impressed
when a little child is presented at the altar
nnd sDrinkled with the waters of holy home
dfction Tin the name of the Father. ami of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;n and others
are more impressed when the penitent comes
mp out of the river, his garments dripping
with the waters Of q baptism which signifies
the washing away of sin. Let either have
his own way. One man likes no noise in
prayer, not word, not whisper Another
man just as good prefers by gesticulation and
exclamation TO express his devotional aspira-
tons One is just as good as the other
Every man fully persuaded in his own
mind.n
George Whitefleid was going over a Quaker
rather roughly for some Of his religious senti-
Inents, and the Quaker said George, i am
rs thou art: am for bringing all men to the
hope Of the Gospel; therefore, IL thou wilt not
quarrel with me about my bload brim, will
notquarrel with thee about thy black gown
George, give me thy hand"
|. In tracing out the religion of sectarian-
ism, or bigotry, find that great deal of it
comes from wrong education in the home
circle. There are parents who do not think
it wrong TO caricaturs and jeer the peculiar
forms OF religion in the world and denounce
other sects and other denominations. IL is
very often the case that that kind Of educa-
ton acts justs opposite to what was expected,
and the children grow up and, after a while
60 and see for themselves; and looking in
those churches, and finding that the people
are good there, and they love God and keep
bis commandments, by natural reaction they
60 and join those very churches | cOnld
mention the names Of prominent ministers Of
tile OaefcI vi f fhafr lnl.